State Stories

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Football Playoff Pairing Show returns to Comcast SportsNet Chicago for its fourth season in 2014. Comcast SportsNet Chicago, the television home for the most games and the most comprehensive coverage of the Chicago Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox, will produce the show in HD when it airs live from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, October 25.

The show, which will reveal the brackets and first round match-ups of all 256 playoff qualifiers across eight classes, can also be viewed via live interactive stream on the internet at IHSA.tv and CSNChicago.com.

"The IHSA Football Playoff Pairing Show' continues to be one of the most highly-anticipated events in the state of Illinois and we couldn't be prouder to showcase two-straight hours of live, interactive coverage to our on-air and online viewers on Saturday night," said Phil Bedella, VP/GM of Comcast SportsNet Chicago. "This show is the perfect precursor to kick off our new, expanded IHSA partnership, which now includes four playoff battles, along with all eight championship match-ups."

CSN anchor Kelly Crull, who made her IHSA debut as a sideline reporter on four IHSA football state championship games a year ago, will host the show and be joined by a panel of experts on-set, including long-time IHSA TV announcer Dave Bernhard and Kankakee Daily Journal sportswriter and Illinois high school football bracketologist Steve Soucie. IHSA TV veteran and Rockford WTVO reporter Matt Rodewald will monitor social media during the broadcast and breakdown each class with media members from around the state, including CSN prep football expert “Edgy” Tim O’Halloran. Viewers are encouraged to interact with the show and ask questions to be answered during the program by using #IHSAbrackets.

The program will once again feature highlights, coach interviews and media analysis from all over the state. In addition, CSN camera crews will be roaming the Land of Lincoln Saturday catching live reactions from school playoff pairing parties.

“This is a highly anticipated evening all over the state and CSN has helped capture the aura around it,” said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman. “CSN has taken viewers from the annual Aquin chili cookoff in Freeport to the Tri-Valley team gathering at the fire station in Downs. Communities around the state will be celebrating the accomplishments of their student-athletes and coaches on Saturday, while dreaming about playing in Champaign on Thanksgiving weekend.”

Saturday’s show also serves as a precursor for the exciting IHSA Football Playoff action that CSN will carry throughout the 2014 postseason. In September, CSN and the IHSA announced that CSN will air one playoff game live during each of the first four rounds of the playoffs (Nov. 1, 8, 15, 22), building up to CSN broadcasting the eight state championship games live on Friday and Saturday, November 28-29.

The pairings show will be distributed to Comcast SportsNet Chicago’s entire viewing territory. Viewers are urged to visit CSNChicago.com to find the exact channel locations.